A spiders webs
Chapter two
A spider’s webs
Xorandra Kal’aris, high priestess of Lolth, sat silently in her private chapel. The room was only dimly lighted. The spider images in the walls just like shades, but that all didn’t matter to the young dark elf. She was deeply worried, for her prized spider tiara was gone. Now the female had only few tendays left to regain Lolth favor. And the drow didn’t even know the thief… But maybe some of her allies could help. Ka’tsukh “Silverhair” Sharel for example, knew many things that happened and the rogue had a debt to pay. So it would be safe to tell her about the missing item.
Slowly Xorandra rose. She said the last prayer and waved her hand slightly, to darken the room fully. Then the female left her house complex and went to the one place Silverhair could likely to be found.
The building she was about to enter was full of drinking drow and their slaves. The ‘Starless Night’ was really famous for its liquid, but even more for the information one could buy there. Xorandra entered and greeted the barkeeper with a slight nod of her head. Then the dark elf went for the darkest and further corner in the room looking for her Ka’tsukh. It took her some time but at least she had found the rogue. Silverhair recognized immediately the one she had to call mistress for three decades now. So the drow bowed and spoke quietly: “What can I do for you my lady?”
Xorandra pushed the informant deeper into the shadows before answering. “I need your help concerning my tiara…Maybe I would consider letting your debt down…” the priestess said.
An eager gleam appeared in the mercenary’s eyes, but she kept silent. “So what’s my task?”, the drow asked instead.
“Someone took my tiara. I order you to find the thief, kill him and bring my jewelry back! Oh and make the thug suffer for his theft!”, Xorandra added.
Silverhair bowed. “I will do as you wish mistress…” Then the dark elf seemed to disappear, leaving the noble alone in the corner.
Since the Kal’aris had no other duties to do, she went to the bar and sat down. She was paying attention to the surrounding and not the babbling talk around. The tavern surely had seen better days. It wasn’t dirty but you couldn’t tell it clean either. The liquid on the floor was washed away by slaves but here and there a smart eye could see little puddles in the corners. From time to time broken sentences reached her ears.
‘…will succeed…’
‘Difficult…damn spider watching…’
‘First houses…mad…destroy us…’
But Xorandra was no fool and so she soon made out her own version of things. It looked very like a raid, one wich the first three houses under the matrons Hzu’Krar, Sael and Shael’tuvin would support. And these drow would be the target. And the conclusion of that was, that the tavern served as a meeting spot for Vhaerun followers. The queen of Chaos might not be as mighty as in Mezoberranzan, but sometimes she demanded the raids.
The Shirukian couldn’t hope to wipe out the mask god’s worshipper, they needed them but, a lesson about whom the drow truly had to serve was never out of place. And the first houses wanted to do it without lesser ones…So this would be a very interesting war. No doubt had the Menzoerranyr suggested the raid. And if Xorandra would help the war leaders, then maybe her spider queen would look upon the drow priestess. So she smiled. Thanks to the abyss, that the buildings was full of mask worshippers. The dark elf began trying to memorize the faces of the important speakers. For House Rai’shiz, the one family she would tell was said to be very eager to hear about single mischief makers to.
So the priestess stood up and made her way out of the tavern towards the Rai’shiz house complex. The guard stopped her and asked: “Who are you, and what do you want from our house?”
A wizard was behind the male drow, casting a lie detecting spell that would force Xorandra to tell the truth.
“I want to speak with Matron Mother Sael”, said the Kal’aris.
“Why that?” “I have information concerning those ever rebellish Vhaeraun followers.”
The guard looked to the wizard, who nodded. “She speaks true.”
“What’s your house and name?” ,was the third question at Xorandra.
“I am from the ninth house Kal’aris and my name is Xorandra.” She shifted slightly to reveal the snake headed whip, a sign of the high priestesses of Lolth, which hung on her hips.
“We’ll send a message…”, said the wizard. “But until we get the answer, you are imprisoned!” the female casted a vocation and some magical bounds wound themselves upon Xorandras wrists.
‘That’s disgusting’, the priestess thought but wisefully kept silent.
A noble levitated up into the quarters of the royal family. He hurried along the corridors, till he reached the throne room. The drow messenger fell to his knees, put his forhead to the floor and spoke after Sael had glanced at him. “You have a visitor my matron!”
“Is that so…”, murmured the matriarch. “Who is that?”
“A Kal’aris priestess called Xorandra.”
“The heir of the ninth house? Bring her to me!”
“As you wish my matron…” The drow bowed and then rose to fetch the priestess.
After a few minutes a bound Xorandra was brought before the throne. Matron Sael mustered the priestess. That Kal’aris seemed to be of strong will.
“What do you want from me?”, asked the ruler of the second house quietly, but with a prompting force behind every word.
“I have some information for you…about those nasty worshippers of the thief god”, added Xorandra after the matriarch had shot an impatient look at her.
“So do you? And why by the abyss do you think I don’t already know the things you know?!”
The high priestess had to think of the right answer. An angry matron mother was nothing funny, especially not when the matron in question was named Sael Rai’shiz.
“Well..”, she began at least, “I’ve heard them in a place that does not fit a mighty house like yours…”
“I am honoured…”, was the sarcastic reply. “But now hurry and tell what you know! May it will be enough to let you live.”
Xorandra nodded and told her captivator : “I have haerd that in the tavern ‘Starless Night’ which is after my opinion the favoured meeting place of the rebels. First they know of the alliance between the first three houses. And second I discovered that the prized sell sword Ku’naer isn’t any longer on the side of Lolth…”
Matron Sael listened her chin resting resting in one hand. “Interesting news. And a surprising place for them to meet indeed…Well Kal’aris since you seem so very eager to gain my favour, I ask you to spy in the tavern. If your informations prove to be useful to me or my ruling sisters, I could give you some reward. But if you fail…”
The pause was long enough for Xorandra to figure out what a failure would mean. She bowed and spoke: “I will do as you wish matron Sael.”
The later just nodded and gestured her out. Now unbound the priestess left the building and went back for her own house complex.
Her mother was in the chapel chanting prayers to Lolth, for it was dangerous if a member of the family was out of her favor. Easily the others could follow. Xorandra entered carefully and sank behind her mother to her knees. “Dark Mother, Lady of spiders, I beg you to grant success to Silverhairs Mission. I promise that I”ll do everything you want in exchange for your favor. All the ones unloyal to you shall be punished for your glory.”
As she finished her prayer, Matron Kzar’nal was standing before her. “Follow to our audience hall, I have questions that need answeres.”, the matriarch said justly and went away.
Xorandra followed after a few minutes. The heir of the ninth house bowed again as she stood before her mother.
“So…”, began Kzar’nal, “Did you discover any useful way for you –and us to regain Lolth favor?”
“Indeed my matron I did. I’ve chosen to help the first three houses with their raid upon the Vhaerun worshippers. I have also sent one of my mercenaries to look for my tiara.”
The matron slowly nodded. “Pray that you find your jewelry. Ah and see that the first houses look with good will upon our us”, she said.
“Of course my matron…”,replied Xorandra and took her leave.
The priestess went to her own room. Like her chapel it was decorated with spider and web carvings. The windows, small holes which were covered with crystal, let the faerie fire lights of the city slightly shine into the room. The female hissed softly and hold up her open hand.
From the ceiling floated a spider carefully towards the drow. The animal was secured only by a very small and thin string. But this strand was very forcefully, if holding was concerned as the victims of the spider could tell –if they wouldn’t be dead of course. It’s body was a deep obsidian black, with only the slightest dark blue metallic hue, which could only seen by those who had very sharp eyes.
“Good day Zhaal”, said Xorandra to her friend. The spider clacked quietly and greeted back.
“We have work to do!”, announced the dark elf. “There is new prey for you and your family…”
Zhaal tapped happily upon the priestess’ hand. She seemed very glad and eager.
“Yeah there are followers of the masked god”, was Xorandras response to an unspoken question.
She let the spider climb onto her shoulder and then went out again and back to the tavern. Let’s see what unfortunate misled drow would face Lolth tonight.
